


Autumn with Calum

by wastelandcth



Series: The Doves [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: 5SOS - Freeform, Calum Hood - Freeform, F/M, autumn prompts with calum, dad!calum, it was cold and i love halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29853486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wastelandcth/pseuds/wastelandcth
Summary: Short moments in time where Calum (and Dovey) enjoy the chilly weather that seems to roll around when summertime has come and gone. includes moments like meeting dovey, falling in love on a rooftop, and Halloween.
Relationships: Calum Hood/Original Character(s), Calum Hood/Original Female Character(s), Calum Hood/You
Series: The Doves [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194812





	1. Under the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fall weather brings a moment of peace for Dovey and Calum and promises for the future are made.

The cabin was surrounded by trees, far away from any sort of paparazzi, fans, or anything to do with fame. It was calm and quiet and the fireplace was the only noise that Calum could hear for miles. He’d decided on a trip away from the city, somewhere up in the mountains where the trees would’ve changed colors by now and where the air was crisp.

He’d found the cabin earlier in September when the weather in the city was still too high and the air conditioning unit was still on max. He’d told Dovey about the trip and then a few weeks later, he was picking her up at her apartment and driving them off into the mountains. It was a nice cabin, big enough for the two of them and Duke to run around and enjoy the cool weather. The main room had floor-to-ceiling windows that showed off the mountainside that was covered with yellows and oranges.

Dovey had spent the first two hours that they’d arrived sat out on the front porch staring off into the distance, taking in the views. Calum knew that she had been having a rough couple of days at work, projects becoming stressful, and days off becoming shorter and shorter. Somedays Calum would text her after work and wouldn’t receive an answer until early the next morning when she’d woken up on her couch only to repeat the day over again. She’d shown up at his house one of those days, too exhausted to make the long drive to her apartment than to his house. She’d fallen asleep in his arms that night, whispering how she wished she could see the stars at night but at this point, she got home too late and she was too tired to stand outside and stare at the sky.

As the sun went down in the early hours of the evening, Calum found himself looking up from the book he’d been reading for the past hour or so. He found himself alone in the living room with the back door open, letting the chill inside. It took him a minute to return back to reality, back to the cabin in the mountains and not the dreamscape of the dystopian futures, but he stepped out into the chill and pulled the sleeves of his sweater to keep out the cold.

“What’re you up to, sweet girl?” his voice felt like it was someone else’s, his throat clearing and trying to make it his own again. “Didn’t even realize you had left me alone in my book.” he chuckled and took a seat next to her.

“I wanted to look at the stars,” Dovey said quietly, her gaze never drifting from the sky above.

The stars were brighter out here than in the city. With no light pollution, they shone like they were meant to and were in the thousands, maybe millions. It took Calum’s breathe away, looking up into the past and thinking about just how many people had looked up to the same stars. His eyes moved over to look at Dovey, a fond smile on her face as she watched the night sky.

“I missed them. Missed the way they look when it’s dark. Ever since I moved to LA it’s been fewer and fewer actual stars and just weird celebrities.” she mumbled and sighed, pulling the cardigan she was wearing closer to her body. “I think we both needed something like this, yeah? A little getaway from the city life and the stress of life.” she laughed quietly, resting her head on Calum’s shoulder.

It was true, Dovey had been stressed over pretty much everything that had to do with work these past couple of weeks. Calum had been stuck in meeting after meeting about the latest album release and he’d barely had any time to relax without a phone call here or an email there to bring back the ever-present headache he hadn’t managed to get rid of. But the cabin was peace and quiet, it was everything Calum had needed. He could get lost in the book he’d brought or he could go on a hike in the mornings and clear his mind. He felt lighter like he could be whoever he was meant to be. He loved the cabin and he knew that he was going to come back.

They’d fallen asleep wrapped up in blankets and in each other’s arms. The cold air coming in from the open windows in the morning, pulling Dovey closer into Calum’s arms as the birds chirped away. They seemed to move slower that day, both of them leaving lingering touches and kisses that seem to last a few seconds too long. But eventually, they found themselves in the car with the promise of coffee and bagels for breakfast. The memories of fall leaves and starry nights would forever be cherished between them both and a promise that whenever things got too much they’d find their way back.

As the cabin got smaller in the rearview mirror, Calum felt more relaxed than he had when he first arrived. He felt more connected to Dovey, more connected to himself and to the stars. He couldn’t wait to come back year and year again. He couldn’t wait to keep his promise to Dovey and bring her back whenever life got too much. And that’s exactly what he did, especially when the little ones arrived. Charlie loved nature, he loved going on hikes with Calum and telling him fun facts about all the trees and animals they found. Eloise loved collecting leaves of all different colors and making pictures with Dovey during the day. But Calum’s favorite part of bringing his family back to the cabin that he and Dovey had found so many years ago was being bundled up under a blanket and looking up at the stars above them.


	2. First Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum and Dovey celebrate their first Halloween together by going to Luke’s party and Dovey gets her nickname.

From the second Calum had met her, he knew he was in trouble. The way his heartbeat raced whenever she was near him, he loved the way she could make him laugh even when she was teasing him about the little things in life. He loved how excited she was about the smallest things like when he showed up at her job one day with her favorite iced coffee and a bagel, she basically had jumped into his arms and promised to return the favor when he was trapped at the studio on a long day. But he especially loved how excited she got for any holiday, always making sure to decorate and get Calum into the mood as well. 

The first time she’d heard the Calum’s name meant dove, she was set on calling him that until the blush on his cheeks ceased to exist, which she doubted would ever happen. So as she struggled with ideas for a Halloween costume, she looked to Calum for inspiration, as she did most of these days. In a few short hours, she had started working on her costume that she’d be more than excited to show Calum to when she met up with him at the Halloween party that Luke would be hosting. 

Calum was never interested in dressing up for Halloween, the holiday was never really a big deal in Australia, but ever since he’d moved to LA he found himself going out with Ashton to find a costume. He had absolutely no idea what he was going to dress up as and when Ashton asked what she’d be going as Calum panicked. 

“She said it was a surprise, that I’d see at the party. Not sure what that means but I’m guessing we’ll be the only ones without a couple’s costume. Which isn’t horrible.” Calum said and laughed quietly as he looked through a rack of costumes. 

“That’s true, you two can’t beat out whatever Luke and his girl are doing this year anyway.” Ashton teased, “We could always match. Maybe mafia men? Get some fake blood and wear suits? Doesn’t sound too hard to pull off." 

Calum had been at Luke’s for what seemed like ages, his drink was still pretty much full as he watched everyone in Luke’s living room doing karaoke. He checked his phone for what seemed like the hundredth time that night and frowned as he still didn’t have a text from his girlfriend who was still nowhere to be seen. He took a sip from the mixed drink that Luke had made way too strong when he heard the doorbell go off, the already overplayed Monster Mash song blasting through the house. Calum made his way over to the door, opening it and gasping quietly as he was met by the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid his eyes upon. She looked like an angel, dressed in a white flowy dress and wearing fluffy wings. 

"I’m so sorry I’m late! Traffic was so bad on the way over here and I got lost because Luke lives in the clouds and I always forget what turn to make!” she was rambling, her hands waving in the air as she tried to get Calum to forgive her for being almost an hour late to the party. But Calum was just staring at her, his eyes falling over her body as she shifted on her feet, “Calum?” she asked quietly. 

“You…you look beautiful.” Calum mumbled quietly, nodding slowly as he led her into the house, “I love the costume, it makes you look like an angel." 

"An angel?” she asked and scoffed a bit, “I’m meant to be you, Dove!” she laughed, “Oh wait, I’m not wearing the mask, give me a sec!” she said and reached into her bag, pulling out what seemed to be a masquerade mask. “It’s my dove mask!" 

Putting on the mask, Calum couldn’t help but chuckled and watch her in awe. The mask only covered her eyes and nose, leaving her smile for Calum to see. She looked so adorable, she was practically buzzing with happiness as she held Calum’s hand, her own smile reflecting on Calum’s face as he realized that this complete weirdo who loved holidays way too much and made a dove costume just because of him was the one for him. 

"Alright Dovey, let’s get you a drink and celebrate the greatness that is Halloween, yeah?” he chuckled and squeezed her hand gently, noticing the way her gaze shifted to the floor and the laugh that escaped at the new nickname. Calum had never liked Halloween but being here with her made him appreciate the holiday a lot more.


	3. Haunted House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dovey's birthday leads her and Calum to a field in the middle of nowhere for a night of fun and screams, hopefully.

Calum knew his girlfriend was a badass. She was never bothered by the hate from the fans or the drama that usually came with dating him. She was fearless and that’s exactly what Calum loved about her. He’d assumed that her only fears were the ones she had mentioned in passing before, heights and brown cows, which he never really questioned much. As her birthday rolled around and the nights got chillier with the fall season, Calum thought the best present to get her was taking her to a haunted house experience that had been all the rave the year before. He’d booked the tickets a week before her birthday weekend and told her to be ready to have the night of her life, not giving away many clues as to what he meant by that. 

Her birthday had been filled with breakfast with her parents, a small get-together with their friends in the afternoon, and as the sun went down on the Los Angeles landscape, a trip to the outskirts of town. Calum had been keeping the entire night a secret, only laughing at Dovey when she complained about not knowing where they were going and why she had to be wearing a blindfold and asking if he was taking her to the middle of nowhere to murder her. 

“You can’t murder me on my birthday, Calum, that’d be so mean!” she pouted as she leaned on the center console of his car, “Although it would look pretty sick on my tombstone for the dates to be the same, just different years. That’s thoughtful of you, I guess." 

"You are the weirdest person I’ve ever met, have I ever told you that?” Calum asked and laughed, his hand finding hers as he pulled into the parking lot, “Don’t have to worry, I’m too cute to get blood on me!” he nodded and parked the car before he undid the blindfold and let it fall onto her lap, “Surprise! It’s a haunted house!" 

As Calum led them into the open field where the event was being held, the smell of kettle corn and barbecue flooded his senses and the lights and music playing reminded him of festivals back when he was a child. Dovey hadn’t let go of his hand since they’d gotten their wristbands and tickets ripped at the entrance, her eyes scanning the crowds and looking around the entire field, not that he was complaining. It wasn’t until they reached the entrance to the first haunted house exhibit that Calum realized why she’d been so quiet. 

"Are you…scared?” he asked softly and looked down at his girlfriend, who looked like she was seconds away from running off to the car again. 

“What? Of course not! Why would I be scared?” she laughed, shaking her head quickly, “There are children going into this Cal, maybe you’re the one who is scared.” she mumbled, scoffing a bit at him but never meeting his eyes. 

“Right, yeah. Well, good thing we have a few more houses after this one then, huh? It’s going to be a fun night, doll.” He chuckled, trying to slip his arm around her shoulder, which Dovey instantly rejected and just squeezed his hand harder. Calum had only been dating her for around eight months, but he knew when she was lying, she was a terrible liar. As the man standing at the entrance of the house scanned their wristbands, Calum realized exactly how terrified Dovey was by the shaky breath she let out once they were led into the dark hallway. 

In the darkness, Calum felt her death grip a lot more, he felt the way she pressed her body up against his side and how she shuffled along with him as their group moved forward. As they stepped into the first scene, which consisted of a dark graveyard with fog covering most of the room and a wolf howling through the speakers somewhere above them, Calum couldn’t help but chuckle as he pulled Dovey along the scene. She’d freeze up every time an actor would jump out at them, letting out a shriek and hiding her face in his shoulder as they walked away. 

The first house was a blur of flashing lights, fog, and werewolves. If Calum had asked Dovey about the story, she would’ve tried to make up a summary but her hand was freezing in his and the thought of having to go through more dark hallways with people jumping out at them made a shiver run down her spine. The second house, Dovey took with a bit more pride, since vampires made her laugh and Edward Cullen’s sparkling skin was a good distraction from the dark hallway she and Calum were currently standing in. She still held onto Calum’s arm for dear life as they walked through, trying to focus on the design of the rooms instead of the fact she almost punched one of the scare actors when they jumped out from a coffin. 

Near the end of the night, when Dovey’s adrenaline had gone up and crashed with the number of times she screamed and hid behind Calum, they decided that sitting in the back of Calum’s car and watching the stars was a better way to end the birthday celebrations. Calum had brought some blankets and had them spread out in the back, with the trunk open so that they both could lay down and watch the endless stars in the sky. Being out in the middle of nowhere meant that the lights were dimmed and the stars shined brighter for them both. 

“You know, even though I literally closed my eyes and screamed the entire time tonight, I think this has to be one of my favorite birthdays ever. Thank you, for spending it with me, Calum.” Dovey said quietly as she turned to face him, pulling the blanket closer to her as the wind got chillier. It was one of the few moments where their normal banter seemed nonexistent, where Dovey opened up her heart and let Calum in further than before. It usually only happened when she was really tired, her brain too close to sleep to realize what she was saying, but it made Calum’s heart race every time. 

“I’m glad you had fun, didn’t realize you were so brave.” Calum teased because it was one of the few times he got to tease her and still know she wouldn’t reciprocate, “Happy birthday, Dovey. I love you.” he whispered and pressed a kiss onto the top of her head, knowing she was already drifting off when she mumbled an I love you back onto his shoulder.


	4. Costumes and Candy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dovey takes the kiddos costume shopping and Charlie can't help but want to surprise Calum with his costume.

Ever since Charlie had been old enough to enjoy Halloween, he had been insistent on dressing up as a Ninja Turtle. The first year he had asked to be one, Dovey had spent hours online trying to find her and Calum adult Ninja Turtle costumes so that the three of them could match. She’d made sure to buy the correct colors for their masks and even made sure to find Duke a turtle costume so that the set was complete. When Eloise was born and Halloween time rolled around, Dovey found herself once again on the lookout for toddler turtle costumes and trying to find Duke a new costume. When Charlie outgrew his ninja turtle phase and Eloise was old enough to decide she didn’t want to be a turtle for Halloween again, Dovey found herself driving to the nearest costume shop with the two kids fighting in the backseat over what song they should play next in the car.

The costume shop was filled with rows and rows of costumes, ranging from the usual sexy nurse to elaborate costumes that could be considered cosplay for shows Dovey had never even seen or heard of before. Charlie followed his mom and sister around the store, eyes wide as they looked through the aisles of children’s costumes. He’d wanted to be a firetruck, but after much deliberation from both Dovey and Calum, who told him being a firetruck would mean he’d have to carry a box all night long as a costume, he decided he’d find something else.

Eloise had found her costume pretty much the second they’d walked into the store, her gasp loud as she ran over to a display that showed a fairy costume. The pink puffy dress was covered in sparkles that reflected onto Eloise’s eyes, the dainty crown on top of the mannequin’s head was covered in pretty stones that looked like it was meant for a princess, and the wings, the wings left Eloise speechless. They were gold mesh had pink accents all throughout them, Eloise didn’t know how she’d lived this long without them but she knew she wasn’t going to go another second without them in her life. 

Charlie had seemingly looked through all the costume options and was feeling hopeless that he’d never find a cool costume before they had to leave. Even after a facetime call with his dad and asking him if he thought that being a cow would be a good idea, which received a laugh from Calum that was quickly shut down by the glare Dovey had shot at him as a way to say no to the costume idea, Charlie had no hope of ever finding a costume. It wasn’t until they reached the back of the children’s section that Charlie’s eyes caught the perfect costume. He tugged Dovey’s hand excitedly, pointing over at the costume and nodding. 

“That one. I want to be that. Mr. Tortilla wouldn’t even need a costume then, mama. It’s perfect!” he said happily as Dovey reached over and grabbed the costume off the rack. 

“I think it’s perfect too, bub. You’re going to be the cutest on Halloween night.” Dovey laughed, holding both costumes in one hand and Eloise’s in another as she led them to the checkout. 

“So why did he decide to keep his costume a secret from me for so long?” Calum asked on Halloween night as he fixed the collar of his Peter Pan costume. 

“He wanted it to be a surprise. He’s worked very hard to keep it a secret so you better act like this is the best costume you’ve ever seen or else he’s going to be heartbroken.” Dovey warned as she walked over and fixed Calum’s hat, placing a soft kiss on his cheek and smiling, “You’re a pretty cute guy, you know that?" 

"Yeah, yeah I’m the best. I want to see their costumes! Let’s go!” Calum chuckled, walking over to the door and making sure to squeeze Dovey’s waist and place a kiss on her nose before walking over to find their kids who were way too quiet on Halloween night. 

One thing Calum would never get used to when it came to being a parent was the way his heart felt so big in his chest it might explode when he saw his two kids both mesmerized by a movie while in their Halloween costumes. Eloise was laying on the living room floor too lost in whatever movie that Dovey had put on for them, She was waving her wand around in the air as she hummed along to the music, her wings were strapped to her back and would flap whenever she would move, the giant tutu she was wearing was fluffed up behind her and her curls were pushed up into two buns on either side of her head with a crown on her head. 

When Charlie turned to look over at Calum, he couldn’t help the gasp that escaped his lips. He rushed over to him, examining his costume and giggling softly. Calum smiled widely, watching as Charlie touched the shirt and reached for his hat. 

“You look so cool!” he nodded, “Are you going to fly?” he asked excitedly. 

“I look cool? Bud, you are literally the coolest zoo keeper guide I have ever seen!” Calum nodded and chuckled, crouching down so that Charlie would take his hat. Charlie himself was wearing a khaki suit with a patch that had an elephant and another patch that had his name embroidered on it. He was also wearing a bucket hat to match the outfit and Calum couldn’t have been more proud of his son. 

“I’m a zookeeper!” Charlie nodded and did a spin for him, “I can tell people all about animals! Mr. Tortilla is gonna come with me, so I can tell people facts about him.” he grinned. 

Trick or treating was exactly that, whenever anyone would ask Charlie about his costume and why he was holding a live turtle instead of his pumpkin bucket, he would tell anyone he could facts about turtles. He would tell them about how Mr. Tortilla was only a year old but he would live to be 120 years old and that was longer than his dog, Duke. By the end of the night, Calum was carrying him in his arms while Mr. Tortilla sat on top of a pile of candy. Charlie was asleep in his arms, snoring quietly into Calum’s ear as they all made their way back home. Eloise was asleep in the stroller that Dovey was pushing, her crown in her lap surrounded by candy wrappers. Once the two kids were changed into pumpkin pajamas and in bed, Charlie couldn’t help but look over at his parents as they tucked him into his bed.

“Mommy and papa, that was the best Halloween ever, I want to do it again tomorrow."


	5. Pumpkin Spice Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making seasonal cookies always ends in steamy showers and kisses, right?

Calum had thought baking cookies would be a good idea. He thought he was being a good boyfriend by having a baking date night and trying to get into the fall mood. His plan had been to light a few fall candles, put on a Halloween movie, and make whatever cookies that Dovey had bought ingredients for at Target earlier that day with him.

They had meant for it to be a short trip, just going in to get whatever ingredients Calum didn’t have stocked at his house. They both ended up in the baking aisle staring at the seemingly endless options of pumpkin spice and spooky cupcake decoration, arguing over which sprinkles would look best on their cookies. After a stop at the coffee aisle, where Dovey grabbed every pumpkin spice flavored syrup and coffee she could find, they were on their way home to ring in the fall season. 

Things were going great at first, his house smelled like a combination of cinnamon, pumpkin, and vanilla. If Calum had more fall candles, he would’ve lit them all but Dovey had stopped him from buying a whole row of candles last week because “no one needs twenty candles, Hood." Halloween music played throughout the house as Dovey’s favorite childhood movie flashed on the screen, one Calum had never seen before. As for the baking, Calum was going to be spending a lot of time cleaning his kitchen. Flour and sugar were spread out through the kitchen counters, handprints mixed in as evidence of the crimes that had just been committed in his kitchen. 

It had started off as a way to make Dovey laugh, sprinkling some flour onto her nose before kissing her cheek. A sprinkle then turned into a flick and that flick turned into handfuls of flour flying through the air and landing on hair and shoulders. It wasn’t long before Calum was chasing Dovey around the kitchen counter with handfuls of flour laughing as she shrieked while trying to run away from him, Duke running after them both barking at his weird father. In a flash of flour and an egg that seemed to have fallen on the kitchen floor, Calum found himself slamming into Dovey’s back and taking them both down onto the hardwood floors with a groan. 

With the cookies long forgotten, Calum found himself laughing in between pumpkin spice kisses, both of them with flushed cheeks and white hair. Dovey was half on top of him, ruffling the flour out of his hair, and leaving kisses all over his face. 

"I can’t believe you fell on an egg, that’s such a Mario Kart thing to happen.” Dovey laughed against his skin, her head nuzzling against his shoulder as she settled in his arms. Duke finally deciding he’d like to join in on the party that was taking place on the floor, laid on Calum’s chest, wagging his tail happily as he settled down and let out a yawn. 

“Dovey, that only happens with bananas, this was different! Come on, we should get cleaned up, you smell like egg and pumpkin spice, gross.” Calum teased as he sat up, earning a groan from Dovey and a sigh from Duke who jumped off of him and made his way over to the living room couch. 

Calum found himself in the shower of his bathroom, his arms wrapped around Dovey’s waist as he left small kisses on her shoulder. She was letting out soft sighs, her body pushing back against his as they both took each other in. The cold shower wall against her chest and Calum’s warm skin against her back reminded her of the weather outside, of the cold wind, and Calum’s warmth beside her. 

After their eventful shower, the evidence of a food fight long erased and replaced with kisses and warm sweaters, Calum was sat on the couch scrolling through his phone as he waited for Dovey to come back with hot chocolate which she promised would have no eggshells in it, making Calum wonder why eggs would have anything to do with hot chocolate but it was Dovey and he didn’t really question much when it came to her. It wasn’t until she set a plate of cookies and two mugs down in front of him that he set his phone down and turned to look at her confused.

“Where did you get those?” he asked her as he picked up a cookie and took a bite of it, enjoying the cinnamon and sugary blend of pumpkin spice. 

“Well I know us, we suck at baking,” Dovey shrugged as she took a seat next to him, tangling her legs with his, “I assumed our cookies were going to end up either burnt or horrendous. I wasn’t expecting eggs on the floor but anyways, I bought these from that bakery you love.” she shrugged as she ate her own cookie.

“Smart thinking, pretty girl, you know us too well.” he laughed quietly as he handed her the remote and pulled her into a soft kiss. “I guess the new trend this year is going to be pumpkin spice kisses, huh?" 

"Wouldn’t have it any other way, Dove."


	6. Spooky Baskets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spending Halloween season in Quarantine means that Dovey has to resort to other fun ideas, like spooky baskets.

As the weather switched from the hot summer heatwaves into the cooler nights where Dovey was finally able to sit outside in the backyard wearing a sweater without wanting to melt, she knew that eventually, the seasonal sadness that crept its way into Calum’s soul would come. She knew it would mean that as the sun set earlier and came out later in the day, Calum’s mood would change and the already quiet personality he had would be heightened. So she’d come up with a plan to get him out and be productive while still being safe and socially distant from the crowds of people that seemed to think the pandemic was over. 

“Hey Dove, do you think we could pop over to the store tomorrow? I was thinking we could make care packages for everyone, it’s been almost two months since we last saw anyone in person and I think it’d be a nice surprise for them.” she had offered while they both ate dinner, a rerun of a show playing softly out from the television. “I was thinking we could make them spooky baskets!" 

"Spooky baskets?” Calum asked softly and chuckled, raising an eyebrow at his wife as he looked up from his bowl of roasted veggie pasta. “What are spooky baskets?”

“Oh you know, they’re like care packages but they’re themed to Halloween! It’ll be nice for everyone to have a little Halloween basket. We could get them some candy, pumpkin spice stuff, oh! Fuzzy socks and maybe even like wine.” she nodded excitedly and chuckled. 

And that’s exactly what Dovey and Calum found themselves doing the very next day. Dovey had woken Calum up with some banana protein pancakes he’d been meaning to try for the past couple of weeks and a cup of coffee. She’d been excited to go out ever since Calum had agreed that care packages for their friends would be a nice way to celebrate Halloween in the current state the world was in. So with both of them wearing a mask and Dovey’s bag stocked with a bottle of hand sanitizer and wipes, they made their way into Target to browse for anything they could use for their spooky baskets. 

It wasn’t long before their cart was filled with candy, gummies, multiple bottles of wine, and anything that Calum and Dovey deemed appropriate for a spooky basket. Dovey had even managed to sneak in a couple of items for Calum, who she was sure hadn’t noticed as he’d been too busy looking for things the band would like. Calum however, had been too busy looking for things that Dovey would appreciate, having snuck an extra orange pumpkin bucket that he knew she would never notice since she wasn’t the best at simple math. By the time they had reached the self-checkout and had managed to hide each other’s presents from one another, they were in the car sanitizing their hands and driving back home. 

“I think Ashton would prefer to have the socks and Michael would enjoy the hand lotion,” Calum said as they sorted through bags of Halloween-themed self-care. “Maybe we could give Luke the set of nail polish? I know he’s been itching to get his nails done but doesn’t want to risk it by going out to a salon." 

It went on like that for a while, Dovey showing Calum a pair of socks or a shirt or any of the other things they’d bought for their friends and then they’d both discuss who they thought it would be best for. Soon enough, they had a line of spooky baskets on their dining table and all they had to do was finish writing on their Halloween-themed cards which Dovey had specifically picked out for every single one of the baskets. 

"Do you mind finishing up the cards? You have a way with words, I would just say something weird and you’re poetic. I’m going to take a shower and then we can watch a movie?” Dovey asked as she handed Calum the stack of envelopes and cards, walking down the hallway to their bedroom where she had hidden the bag filled with everything she’d gotten Calum for his basket before he had time to even notice. 

Calum sighed in relief as he saw Dovey walk away into their bedroom, waiting a few moments before he made his way over to his office where he’d hidden his bag of treats for Dovey under the desk. He worked silently, arranging everything he’d snuck into their shopping cart while Dovey had been distracted looking at homeware and Halloween mugs, and when he was finally done, he set the basket back under his desk before making his way back over to the dining table to finish up writing the cards for their friends. 

The next day, the morning sky was grey and the cold air had made its way in through the bedroom window that Dovey had insisted stay open throughout the night. Calum wished he could’ve stayed in bed all day, knowing that there was nothing he and Dovey could do either. Tour had been rescheduled and all their trips and vacations had been put on hold, with no guarantee of when he could fly back home to see his parents or even fly to London to see his sister. He’d rather stay in bed and sleep the day away, knowing there was nothing else to do but stay home and stay safe. Dovey, however, had different plans and when he heard music playing from somewhere in the house, Calum knew she’d come in with plans to take on the day. It wasn’t too long after Calum had woken up that Dovey walked into their bedroom, holding two mugs with coffee and the smile that Calum knew he could count on seeing every day. 

“Ready to deliver spooky baskets?” she asked as she sat down next to him in bed and handed a skeleton mug over to him. 

A few hours later, after many sneaky deliveries of spooky baskets, Calum found himself in Dovey’s arms while they laid on the couch. He’d been taking a nap, the cold air from outside had seeped into his bones and he’d been in Dovey’s arms covered by a blanket to chase off the cold. She’d been watching television while he slept, her fingers raking through the curls which had grown out ever since the start of a lockdown. His short hair transitioning from a pink that Dovey had been obsessed with to a blonde quiff that made him look golden, and now into a mess of brown curls that she couldn’t help but run her fingers through whenever she got the chance to. It wasn’t until she felt Calum’s lips on her shoulder that she realized he was waking up from the nap he’d accidentally fallen into. 

“I have a surprise for you,” Dovey whispered into Calum’s hair, a soft kiss pressing onto his forehead which brought Calum back down to Earth and into his lover’s arms. “Need to get it from our room though, I’ll be right back." 

Calum was still half asleep as he sat up and watched Dovey wander off to their bedroom. He let out a yawn and let himself stretch out onto the couch, his eyes closing again as his mind tried recalling whatever dream he’d been having a few minutes ago. It had made him warm, flashes of Dovey’s smile and her laughter mixed in with little ones chasing after Duke. He knew if he kept his eyes closed for a while longer he’d slip back into the dream and stay a little while longer. 

"Dove?” At first, it seemed like Calum had slipped into his dreamworld and the love of his life was roaming the halls of a house filled with love and kid’s toys, but as he felt a hand on his cheek, his eyes opened again and he was met with Dovey’s eyes, who seemed to hide the excitement. “I have something for you." 

Calum’s eyes wandered down to Dovey’s lap, which was currently holding an orange basket that was filled with flowers, candy, and gift-wrapped boxes. Calum’s yawn was met by a laugh from Dovey who placed the basket in his lap, her body practically bouncing in place as she waited for him to open everything. Inside the basket, Calum unpacked a new coffee mug with a painted dog wearing a sheet over it making it look like a ghost, a blanket which was so soft Calum was surprised that Dovey hadn’t kept it herself, and along with some more candy and snacks that Calum loves, he found a new journal with a polaroid picture of Dovey and Calum inside of the cover. 

"Sweet girl, this is amazing. I, I can’t thank you enough for this.” Calum nodded and pulled her into his arms, “I have a surprise for you too, you know? Guess great minds think alike.” he chuckled and set the basket down to go grab Dovey’s own spooky basket from his office. 

Dovey couldn’t hold back the laughter as she saw Calum walking into the living room holding a basket that resembled the one she had made for him, filled with goodies and self-care needs she loved. When Calum handed her the basket, she looked through it, her own heart swelling as she unpacked candles, lotions, and all the sour gummy worms she could dream of. It was everything a spooky basket should’ve been and all she could do was pull Calum into a kiss. 

It wasn’t until a while later when candles had been lit on the coffee table and the Doves were laying in each other’s arms under the world’s softest blanket that the group chat all of the guys and their partners were in started to go off, with pictures of the baskets Calum and Dovey had worked hard on. Calum couldn’t help but chuckled as he read through the messages his friends had sent to them, answering their praises with memes he had saved from conversations with Dovey. It wasn’t until he heard a sleepy whine coming from Dovey that he realized she was asleep and the constant buzzing from her phone was probably going to wake her up soon. With a goodnight to the group chat and with fall candles being blown out and covered, Calum carried Dovey over into their bedroom and laid her down in be, making sure that the window was open before he laid down and closed his eyes, yearning for dreams of Dovey and the big house filled with laughter, love, and spooky baskets.


	7. Pumpkin Carving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The doves need to teach Eloise more about knife safety but that doesn't matter too much.

Most of Calum’s family crafts ended in a mess. Whether it was finger painting Valentine’s day cards or making Easter eggs, they all ended with their two kids needing a bath to scrub away the paint that had ended up on them and the floor. When he’d brought up the idea of carving pumpkin during a chilly morning in October, Dovey knew it was going to be messy, but she couldn’t say no to her husband who had used his puppy dog eyes on her. He knew it was a weakness of hers, Charlie had done the same thing just last week when he and Eloise had wanted to buy a pumpkin cheesecake that was probably meant to feed a whole village. 

Calum had come home a few days later after being at the studio for a couple of hours with five pumpkins, one for each of them to carve and decorate. He’d also made sure to buy trash bags and all the pumpkin carving essentials they would need. He’d made sure to not tell the kids what their family activity for the night would be and when he walked in lugging in two of the five pumpkins, he had his two kids immediately asking him thousands of questions at the same time. 

“What is that, papa?" 

"Are we going to eat those?" 

"Mama already has so many of those everywhere!" 

"That one is ugly!" 

"It looks like you, Charlie!" 

"Mama! Elly called me ugly!" 

"No, I didn’t! I called the pumpkin ugly!" 

"Did you write any cool songs today?”

“Why do you have so many pumpkins, papa?" 

"We’re going to make a pie, duh!" 

"Alright, you two, why don’t we leave papa to bring in the rest of this stuff while we get changed and get our aprons on, yeah?” Dovey laughed and picked up Eloise, who at four years old seemed to be more interested in carving tools on the kitchen counter than anything else. “We can continue to bother papa once we are changed and ready to make jack-o-lanterns." 

"Ew! You’re scooping out its guts! And then we have to eat them?!” Eloise gasped as she watched Calum start everyone’s pumpkins off, her eyes wide and her tongue sticking out in disgust. 

“Well after we’re done carving them, we have to put a candle inside so they can light up! Then maybe we can make some roasted pumpkin seeds as a snack!” Calum said happily, his cheeks already covered in pumpkin guts that he was too busy to wipe away just yet. 

He’d made them all a simple design, letting each of the kids carve into the pumpkin and helping them whenever they got stuck. Eloise, who got bored halfway through her carving had moved onto Dovey’s lap and was watching her carved the finishing touches on the pumpkin she’d been working on. Charlie was busy at work, his tongue sticking out as he focused on his pattern. He’d been quiet ever since Calum had shown him how to work the carver, too focused on the task at hand to worry about fighting with Elly or to pet Duke who had been napping by his feet the entire time. Dovey had finished her pumpkin a few minutes after Eloise had managed to fall asleep in her arms, holding one of the carving knives in her hand and refusing to let go of it even if she was in a deep slumber. Her soft snores whispered into Dovey’s shoulder as she had tried multiple times to wiggle the handle out of the four-year-old’s death grip and eventually Dovey gave up and decided that it was safe now that she was asleep but a lesson on knife safety would have to be their next Halloween activity. 

The kitchen table was covered in pumpkin guts, seeds littered the wood table, and pieces of pumpkin scattered on one corner but at least there were now five finished pumpkins lined up waiting for a candle. Calum was showing Charlie how to clean the pumpkin seeds so that they could roast them, both of them excited at the idea of snacks. Dovey had gone to lay Eloise down in her bed, successfully walking back into the kitchen holding a carving knife with an orange handle. She could see Charlie’s tired eyes as he laid his head down on Calum’s shoulder, the orange sweater he’d been wearing to fight off the outside chill made him look like a little pumpkin, and Dovey could just melt at the sight of it. 

“I’ll take him to bed, yeah? I think bedtime came earlier today,” she whispered to Calum, who hadn’t seemed to notice how Charlie was nodding off. Before Charlie could complain that he wasn’t tired though, Dovey was tucking him into his bed and making sure his favorite stuffed turtle was secured in his arms. 

Calum had been busy while Dovey was putting the kids to bed, he’d been roasting pumpkin seeds for breakfast and was cleaning up the kitchen, humming a tune he’d been working on for a few days now. He’d been standing on their front porch, trying to balance five pumpkins in his arms, when Dovey had found him. He had tried his best to not drop anything he was trying to bring out in one trip, which consisted of their carved pumpkins, a lighter, and some candles. With Dovey’s help, which he was thankful for since he was seconds away from having five broken pumpkins on the front porch to clean up, they set them all down and arranged them in the corner where anyone who came to visit would be able to see. The orange light that reflected onto the wall of their house reminded Calum of those old school Halloween movies that he and his mom would watch when he’d stay home from school with a cold. He stood there with Dovey in his arms, both of them cold from the autumn air but too entranced by the candlelight to want to go inside. 

“I guess this craft wasn’t as messy as I thought it would be,” Dovey mumbled as she leaned into Calum’s side, her own personal heater. 

“I have good ideas sometimes, Dovey.” Calum chuckled quietly, rubbing circles onto the small of her back.

“Well, I think this is something we should do every fall. Make it a Hood Family tradition.” she nodded, smiling up at him, laughing as she saw the pumpkin guts that had somehow made it into his hair, “But maybe fewer guts in your hair next time." 

"Oh, you should see your own hair, dork."


	8. Decorating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum is very good at hiding decorations and Dovey can't stand the heat.

Dovey was sick of being in the hot garage. She and Calum had been in there all morning and as the sun rose higher in the sky, the room became stuffy and even if it was the start of the autumn season, California was still hot. It was their second official Halloween in their new house and Calum had insisted that they step up their decorating game. He wanted their house to be the so-called scariest and most decorated one in the neighborhood. That was last month, and Calum had spared no time in going out to the stores to buy decorations after decoration and storing them in the garage. The only issue was that he’d forgotten where he had hidden some of the decorations he’d deemed a surprise for Dovey and was now searching the entire garage while Dovey sat on the hood of the car and watched him while complaining. 

“I just don’t understand why you hid them? You could’ve just kept them in your car or something!” Dovey whined, tugging up the sleeves of her sweater and puffing up some air into her forehead. 

“Because you were going to love them! I just…I hid them so well that I can’t remember where I put them! It’s not my fault I’m such a good hider!” Calum groaned as he looked through another box to find nothing but Christmas decorations. 

“Do we really need those anyway? Can’t we just stick with what we have up already?” Dovey asked, “I think it looks pretty good already! Maybe we should focus on the inside first and then try again on a cooler day with the outside?" 

Calum was stubborn, he would set his mind to a task and keep at it until he finished it. It was helpful sometimes, whenever he was at the studio and he couldn’t finish a song. But today, it was really bugging the hell out of Dovey, so without another thought, she stood up and made her way out of the garage and into the house to finish up the episode of Sherlock she’d been watching while she changed out their decorations for Halloween themed ones. It was an hour later before Calum walked into the house again, wearing just a white tank top and his workout shorts. 

"Oh, it smells so nice in here!” Calum said happily as he grabbed water from the fridge, “I really love it, Dovey. You did a great job. It feels more like Halloween every day!" 

"Yeah?” Dovey giggled as she looked over at him, “How’d the outside go? Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked softly, her eyes trailing over his body as he walked into the living room. 

“I worked it out, won’t be able to see much of it until it’s dark out.” he chuckled and shrugged, “But the inside of our house is definitely all set up for Halloween. You did a great job.” he chuckled. 

The evening went on, Calum and Dovey both enjoying the smells of the fall that were covering their living room. It wasn’t until the sun had gone down and the moon was in the sky that the Doves had found themselves outside, admiring Calum’s hard work that had gone into making their house the best-decorated one in the neighborhood. He’d been out in the front yard, rearranging the decoration he’d bought over and over until it was perfect. He’d lined their driveway with the tiny pumpkins that Dovey had bought and had been procrastinating on putting out. He’d hung up orange and white lights around their front porch, basically making it look like a Target Halloween section had thrown upon their house with all the other decorations that he had put up. Dovey smiled as she watched the lights reflecting against Calum’s face, his golden skin illuminated in the warm October night.

“Where did you find the hidden decorations?” Dovey asked as she leaned against Calum, his warm skin warming her always cold body. 

“Don’t laugh.” Calum whined quietly, wrapping his arm around her waist and shaking his head, “It was in the trunk of your car. Guess I thought you wouldn’t look there since you just always put things in your backseat or we use my car for groceries." 

"Dove, you are literally unbelievable! They’ve been in my car for almost three weeks?!” Dovey asked shocked, laughing softly and shaking her head as she realized it was the perfect hiding spot since she never opened the trunk of her car. 

Even if Dovey had complained most of the day about the heat and the fact that Calum had spent most of the day outside, she couldn’t help but love how their house looked now all ready for Halloween. She loved that their house was decorated with lights and loved that Calum was stubborn and made it happened even when she complained the whole time. 

“Now we have to wait until October is over and then we can get started on Christmas decorations!"


	9. Halloween on Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Halloween has to be spent on tour, Dovey has to get creative when the kids need to go trick-or-treating.

Dovey thought that Halloween was just a holiday for kids. A holiday that involved dressing up and giving children candy, something which seemed wrong considering parents spent years telling their children to not take candy from children. But when she met Calum, that had changed pretty quickly. From going to Halloween parties every year to taking their own kids trick or treating every Halloween, every time October rolled around Dovey couldn’t help but get excited over the holiday. 

One year, when the band had been on tour for a couple of weeks and the holiday happened to be during a show the guys had that week, Dovey had to plan exactly how a seven-year-old and a very angry four-year-old would still get to go trick or treating while on tour with their dad. Calum had promised the two kids that he’d find a way to get them to celebrate Halloween that year when Charlie and Eloise had called him one day at the beginning of October. Both of them teary-eyed ever since their realization that Halloween would be spent away from home and on a crowded tour bus. 

“I promise that I’ll figure something out, okay? We’ll have the best Halloween ever!” Calum had told them over a facetime call that had broken his heart, a few minutes before he had to be on stage to perform to thousands of people. But with an I love you and wave, he had hung up and rushed off to play the show, the image of his two babies with puffy eyes in the back of his mind during the whole show. 

A week before Halloween, when Dovey and the kids had arrived to spend some time with Calum, he had to break the news to Dovey. They had a flight to catch pretty soon after their show ended on Halloween and there was no way that they’d be able to get the kids to the nearest neighborhood to grab some candy before the night had ended. After much consoling was done on Dovey’s part and Calum being rushed off into a radio gig with the other guys, Dovey got to work on how to make her kids have a good holiday. It hadn’t taken much, just a couple of emails to the band’s assistants and a promise of baked goods for anyone who helped her make sure Eloise and Charlie had a great Halloween. 

When the sun rose on Halloween and the tour bus lurched to a stop outside whatever stadium the band was meant to be playing at that night, Dovey was up and out of the bus, sneaking off with Ashton who had loved her idea from the beginning. They were gone before Calum could protest, not that he minded being used as a pillow by his two sleeping kids who had decided to share the bunk with his parents that past night instead of one of their own. Dovey and Ashton found themselves at a Target pretty soon after leaving the stadium, both of them loading up a shopping cart with bags of candy, Halloween lights, streamers, and two orange pumpkin buckets. When they made their way back to the stadium, they found Luke outside the tour bus with a cup of coffee in one hand while he talked to the manager of the arena, going over Dovey’s plan and helping get the bags out of the Uber. 

Dovey had decided that Calum would be a good distraction for the kids since they hadn’t spent much time with him in the past month or so. It was Calum’s job to distract them, taking the two kids who hadn’t stopped pouting since they’d woken up into the city to explore and see if they could see any Halloween decorations and to get some well-needed breakfast. While Calum was off in the city, Dovey and the other guys along with Andy, who had decided this was the perfect moment to record some footage, started decorating their dressing rooms, the hallways, and any backstage area that the kids could go through with the Halloween decorations. After they’d started, a few more people from the stadium had shown up to help them and soon enough the stadium’s backstage was ready for trick or treating, the only thing they needed now was costumes and two kids who thought they’d miss out on Halloween. Luckily, the band, opening acts, and their teams had always dressed up during Halloween shows and had enough time to change before Calum showed up with Charlie and Eloise, who he’d managed to convince into getting dressed in their costumes before they’d made it back. 

“I think your mom is going to love your costumes! I’m glad you guys decided to bring them, everyone else is gonna dress up for the show too, isn’t that exciting?” Calum asked as he got the two kids out of the car and walked over to where Dovey was standing by the side entrance, holding two pumpkin buckets and looking like she was going to explode from excitement. 

“But we can’t go trick or treating, papa! That’s what Halloween is all about! We just look silly with costumes!” Eloise complained, stomping behind him while Charlie followed her. 

“Oh, I don’t know about that little doves!” Dovey said as she held up a bucket to each of the kids, a smile on her face as she saw the confusion on their faces. “I thought your dad had promised that we’d still have Halloween, he never breaks his promises, does he?” She asked and smiled softly, leading the two confused kids through the entrance to what Dovey had been calling the “spooky tunnel,” which was all worth it when Charlie realized what was going on. 

“Wait! We get to trick-or-treat?” he asked excitedly, grinning widely holding up his bucket as he ran to the entrance of the hallway. 

The two kids proceeded to run through the hallway, knocking on every door and giggling when someone would open the door and drop some candy into their buckets before they ran off to the next door. Calum and Dovey were close behind them, both filled with love and pride as they watched their two kids skip along the hallway, their pumpkin buckets growing heavier and heavier with every door knocked on. 

Before the two kids knew it, their buckets were filled to the brim with candy and the band was getting ready to go on stage. Their eyes heavy with sleep as they ate their candy happily waiting for the show to end so that they could all hang out with Calum before they had to go to the airport. The show was over before they knew, the Halloween decorations left up while the band and everyone else was taking pictures, and the kids were in a car on the way to the airport. 

When the plane was in the air and the kids were fast asleep, one in Calum’s arms and the other on Dovey’s lap, Calum couldn’t help but hold his wife close. He was grateful because he had promised the kids a Halloween and if it hadn’t been for Dovey, that promise would’ve been broken. He would’ve felt horrible if his kids didn’t have a good Halloween, which was a holiday they loved more than anything. 

“Thank you, for being such an amazing mother. You did amazing tonight, they wouldn’t have had a good Halloween if it wasn’t for you.” Calum whispered into Dovey’s hair, sighing softly and pressing a kiss into her hair. 

Dovey smiled, leaning against Calum as she relaxed in her seat, and looking down at their two kids. Dovey was grateful for Andy recording them, knowing that she’d be able to watch their Halloween on tour for years to come. Halloween might’ve been a holiday she hadn’t really thought much of but thanks to Calum, Eloise, and Charlie, Halloween was now something she looked forward to, no matter where on Earth they were.


	10. Fall Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doves take Charlie and Eloise to a fall festival that Dovey used to go to as a kid.

“One time our parents took us to the fall carnival and your aunt and I ate so much popcorn that we slept for like half of the day. Grandpa was so mad because we drove all the way over here and we just slept while the carnival was going on.” Dovey said as she looked out the window, watching the rolling hills pass them. “We woke up just in time for the fireworks though and it was so magical." 

Calum smiled as he listened to her, glancing back at the two kids in the backseat who were hanging off of their mom’s every word even if they were still tired from being woken up so early. He’d heard plenty of stories of Dovey’s childhood, of the family trips, and the sibling fights that ended with movie nights but every time he heard a new one his heart swelled and he fell even more in love with his wife. 

Pulling into the fall carnival felt like a sense of home to Dovey. She remembered how excited she had been when her parents had driven them here in the early mornings of the day with promises of fun, caramel apples, and warm apple ciders to keep away the chill. Glancing back at the two kids who were still too sleepy to be excited about rides and games, Dovey felt that same excitement in her bones as Calum shut the car off once they had parked and gotten the stroller out of the boot of the car. 

The kids had been silent for most of the ride, both of them drifting between sleep, looking out the window, and pointing out whenever they saw a horse or a cow. But as the morning dew lifted and the smell of breakfast in the air became more prominent, Dovey found herself with Eloise in a stroller and Charlie holding her hand tightly, both of them happily talking about cinnamon rolls.

Most of the rides were still closed in the morning, the farmers market was still being set up, and the petting zoo was rustling with life as the farm animals woke up and ate their breakfast. Eloise’s eye lit up as she heard the cows mooing, trying her best to get out of her stroller before Calum finally got her out of the stroller so she could catch a glimpse of the petting zoo before they made their way to grab breakfast. 

Charlie loved animals, anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him would know that he could talk about turtles, pigs, cows, and any other animal he could find a fact on about for days. So when breakfast was over and coffee had been consumed, Calum had decided that it was time for the petting zoo to meet Charlie. Watching his five-year-old’s eyes light up when they walked into the barn and saw the fluffiest sheep on Earth, was something Calum had never realized he needed. As they walked through the zoo, stopping at every single animal section so that Charlie could say hi to each animal and pet them, Calum felt the warmth in his heart spread throughout his body. 

Eloise had loved the games, pointing at all the prizes that could be won if only her papa could stop at every stall and win one for her. She also loved the rides, once the sun had gone down and the lights had gone up, she was lost in a world of lights and laughter. Calum had bought them some tickets, holding a roll of them in his hand as he got Eloise out of her stroller and led the four of them over to the line for the carousel. Eloise couldn’t help but look at the passing scenery and laugh, everything seemed so magical from the ride, the music and lights, and blurred together as she held onto the golden horse Calum had set her upon. 

By the end of the day, when Charlie had fallen asleep on Calum’s shoulder and Eloise was asleep in the stroller that Dovey was pushing, the festival was in full swing, families all around them enjoying the food, rides, and sights the festival had to offer. As they made their way to the exit, the stroller pushing up hay that had been thrown on the floor, Dovey couldn’t help but let out a sigh. Memories of her own childhood had flooded her all day, watching Charlie and Eloise explore the petting zoo or when they would fight over who was getting the last bite of a cinnamon roll. 

It wasn’t until both kids were in the car, buckled into their car seat and the car was pulling out of the parking area that Dovey noticed both kids slowly start to open their eyes. The way back home to her parent’s house was an hour or so away. The long winding road from the festival to the highway meant that the sky was bright with stars and as they pulled out of the parking lot, fireworks lit up the air. Dovey watched from the passenger seat, her heart swelling as she saw both kid’s eyes light up at the colors dancing in the air, little gasps leaving their mouths with every new explosion of colors that filled the night sky. 

The colors in the sky reflected against them, both of them still filled with sleep but that wouldn’t stop them from watching the fireworks until they were out of view, both of them drifting back off into dreamworld as the car pulled onto the highway. Calum’s hand was in hers as the sky behind them lit up with reds and blues, greens, and yellows, and it was like the show was for just the two of them. Luckily for Dovey, she could still see the fireworks in the rearview mirror, and just like when she was younger, she was glad she’d been awake for the finale and that she had the love of her life right next to her.


	11. We Fell in Love in October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum finds himself on Luke's roof, which leads to a life-changing moment for both him and Dovey. Inspired by We Fell in Love in October by Girl in Red.

Calum first saw her at a party that Luke had thrown. It wasn’t that he was having a bad time at the party, but Luke’s parties tended to get crowded and it wasn’t long before Calum felt like he was going to suffocate if he stayed in the living room much longer. Sneaking out of the room was easy, using the excuse that he was getting another drink to make his way over to the kitchen and through the backdoor, finding a place to hide from the endless amount of people that seemed to show up at Luke’s parties for drinks and a good time was a lot harder. In the end, he found himself climbing the ladder up to the flat roof of Luke’s house, the view of the city giving Calum goosebumps even if he’d seen it every day since the band had gotten a break. 

The chill of September brushed against Calum’s face, making his nose turn a rosy shade as he lit a cigarette and sat on the edge of the roof, his eyes falling down at the people who seemed to be lost in the conversation below him. He hadn’t even noticed when she’d climbed up, not believing anyone had been watching him sneak out of the party and onto the roof. But Dovey had been extremely observant since the beginning, something he’d find out throughout the months. 

“You know, I don’t think climbing onto a stranger’s roof and smoking a cigarette is the best way to spend time at a party, but I do respect the guts you have. I almost fell off the ladder twice getting up here.” she’d told him, huffing softly as she straightened out her sweater and sat down next to him, “You’re Calum, right?" 

Calum wasn’t sure why she had decided to follow him up to the roof or why he hadn’t told her he was just looking for some alone time, but he was sure glad he’d let her stay with him on the roof that night. They’d shared a cigarette, making small talk as they both watched the lights of the city twinkle on the horizon. He learned that she’d recently moved to Los Angeles and was friends with one of Sierra’s friends who had basically forced her to come to the party so she could "meet new people and make new friends, as an adult." 

"I know right? It’s ridiculous, I’m perfectly capable of making friends without having to crash some guy’s party.” Dovey had laughed as she handed the cigarette back to him, “I like to think of myself as a great adult, I know all about taxes and stuff like that." 

Calum had laughed, because she didn’t exactly seem like the kind of person who would brag about knowing tax laws at a party but they had just met and her perfume smelled nice, reminding Calum of his mom’s flower garden from when he was growing up in Sydney. They talked the rest of that night, both of them sharing stories on the roof as Calum forgot about the twinkling lights and focused on her. 

He’d taken her star gazing a few weeks later, the party long over and both of them being busy with the Los Angeles lifestyle. But Calum hadn’t gotten her out of his mind since that night when she’d kissed his cheek before climbing down the ladder and disappearing back into the crowd of people. He hadn’t seen her for the rest of the night, not even when he made himself go back inside to socialize once again, the idea of her being in the living room making him excited to talk some more. But with a very blurry picture of her saved as her contact picture, Calum didn’t hesitate to send her a message the next day, and the day after that, the warmth in his chest growing with every reply he got. 

They were laying on a blanket, a few miles out of the city and into the mountains where the lights couldn’t block out the pretty stars and where the eyes of the world were forgotten about. Calum had brought snacks and she’d brought her favorite lemonade pitcher filled with an apple cider mix she’d been telling him about a few days prior. Dovey had been laying in silence, too full of delicious snacks and in awe of the stars to say anything. Ever since she had moved to the city of angels she hadn’t gotten the chance to see the stars anymore and when Calum had told her what their plans were for the night, she had told him to hurry up and drive over to her apartment. 

Calum’s gaze kept shifting from the starry night over to Dovey, who seemed lost in thought as she watched the stars. It wasn’t until Calum felt her warm hand reach for his, their fingers intertwining together, that he realized she was in fact just as lost in him as he was with her. 

He’d driven her home after the cold October air had gotten too much and they were both leaning into one another for warmth. The car ride was filled with Calum laughing every time Dovey would play a song and explain how she discovered the song and why it was her favorite. She’d even confessed that one of her favorite songs was Wildflower, which she claimed was a great song to listen to while driving because it made her want to dance. Usually, car rides were quiet for Calum, his mind too busy running with thoughts of the band and the next step they were going to take, but that drive back to Dovey’s apartment was filled with laughter and singing along to old songs. 

He’d stepped into her apartment for a drink, both of them too warm by the heating to want the night to end. They were sitting in her living room, looking at a video about the stars that Dovey had mentioned while they were laying in the middle of nowhere, both of them distracted by the other’s presence to really pay attention. He’d kissed her that night, it wasn’t something he had planned to do, but he was glad Dovey hadn’t pulled away from him but instead pulled him closer. They’d been at her front door, Calum trying to delay his departure from her, her lips were the softest thing Calum had ever felt and he couldn’t help the soft whine that let his lips when she had finally pushed him away with promises that they’d see each other soon. 

It had been a couple of weeks since Calum and Dovey had started seeing one another, the month of October filled with holding hands to keep warm and kisses that never seemed to last long enough for either of them. Calum had found himself wanting to spend more of the chilly October nights with Dovey, to hear her whisper into the night as they talked about nothing and everything. He found himself thinking back to the roof where he had been watching the city lights, that night he think might’ve changed his life. Thinking about how her head had popped up and she had teased him for sneaking onto the roof during a party, how someone he’d never met before could make him laugh and smile so much in such little time. He fell in love that October, watching Dovey in awe as she opened up to him and they explored more of the city with the pretty lights together.


End file.
